Firstly,
you cannot put your business on to the Internet without using a web
host. While it is possible to use free space (often provided by your
ISP) this is definitely not advisable for small businesses and professional
sites.

If you
already have your site hosted by one of these free companies, chances
are that your site will be a lot slower to load, unreliable (meaning it
will be unavailable at times), and more often than not, advertisements
will be placed at the top of your page.

Unwanted
pop up ads can also appear when people visit your site (these adverts
also appear everytime users click on a link). This alone
can be extremley annoying, and of course there is a danger these ads
will lure people into clicking on them driving them away from your site.

Free
web space providers also have the tendency to overlook CGI access.
Simply put, this means if you are planning on using feedback forms,
message boards, handy customer forums and many other interactive
pages, you would be far better off paying for your web space using
a web hosting company.

If you
are planning on using database facilities then paying for your web
space is a must. Almost all free web space providers do not have
ODBC database connectivity and full ASP support.

• 200mb
webspace

• Unlimited
POP3 e-mail accounts

• Unlimited
e-mail forwarding

• Hosted
on Windows 2000 servers

• Full
support for ASP and Perl

• Microsoft
Frontpage 2000 extensions

• Your
own virtual control panel

• 24hr
support

• ODBC
database conectivity

• Password
protection for your site

The
Address thing..

Free
web hosts provide you with a long untidy web address such as www.johnwilliams.203.freeserve.co.uk.

Even
if you use 'web forwarding' provided by domain registrars (usually
about 20 pounds a year) where the user types in your nice new short
and neat web address e.g.. www.theshop.com they will then hop to
your free space where an unwieldy long web address appears in the
browser address bar giving your site an unprofessional appearance,
making it look as if you havn't even bothered to pay the small
amount to host your site properly.

So,
while using free web space can work fine for personal pages it
isn't the ideal solution for the more professional business.

Hosting
your site doesn't have to be costly. Using GoalieHost you can have
all of the features listed above, your web site
online within 24 hours, and your own virtual control panel (should
you require) for only £50 per year. Why not mail our sales
department at [email protected]to
discuss your requirements.